


Embrace

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: AkuRoku - Freeform, Bad Days, Depression, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Light Slash or Gen, M/M, Platonic Cuddling, Sharing a Bed, platonic snuggling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-25
Updated: 2014-06-25
Packaged: 2018-02-06 03:36:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 564
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1842874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Axel's the free-wheeling, redheaded, sly, never-know-what-he's-thinking-beneath-that-grin kind of guy in the Organization.</p>
<p>Contrary to popular belief, he <i>does </i>have bad days.</p>
<p>Axel & Roxas - can be read as friendship with platonic cuddling or very, very light or pre-slash.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Embrace

When Roxas's bedroom door swung open around midnight, when he was half dozing and half still awake, he knew instantly who it was.

There was only one person who didn't knock when it came to his bedroom.

"Axel," he complained groggily, turning over to squint towards Axel's thin form standing in the rays cast off from Kingdom Hearts.

He was about to say that it was midnight, that whatever crazy idea he had about raiding the kitchen or egging the other member's rooms doors or going to Twilight Town to have some ice cream (because Axel hadn't shown up today) could wait, but he didn't get that far.

Axel crawled into bed next to him without a word.

" _Axel_ ," Roxas repeated, coming to more from the movement and the heat radiating off of Axel's body. He didn't mind this, whatever this was, but it was _midnight_ and he _was_ trying to sleep.

Instead of taking the signature pose of pulling Roxas to his chest, however, Axel's fingers curled into Roxas's t-shirt and he ducked his head against Roxas's chest to hide his face. His long, lanky body curled up impossibly tight, pressing against Roxas's chest and stomach and legs.

Roxas was frozen, unsure what to do with this different kind of display. Axel usually had Roxas in his arms, not the other way around. It just worked. Roxas was so small, Axel said, that he just fit perfectly snuggled up against his chest. Roxas never complained because it was warm.

But something about Axel today was... off. He was curled up as small as possible for his body, curled up against Roxas this time. He didn't say a word and he didn't seem inclined to. Something just felt wrong.

Roxas had never been on the giving end of it, but it felt natural to wrap his arms around Axel's skinny frame, pulling him close like Axel would him. "Axel...?" he asked quietly.

Axel didn't look up. His fingers constricted around Roxas's shirt.

Roxas nestled his chin between the fiery spikes of Axel's hair, like Axel did with his when the positions were reversed. "Are you okay?" he asked just as quietly, squeezing Axel slightly in the unsure hug he was giving him.

Axel's head inclined in a nod. He still didn't say a word.

It felt very quiet and cold without hearing the flurry of flames talking. It felt very strange to see Axel so... not like his usual self.

"Are you sure?" The words were barely out of his mouth before Axel interrupted.

"Bad day." The words were sharp and to the point, so quick that Roxas would have missed it had it not been so quiet in his room. The tone was all wrong, too.

"Oh," Roxas said shortly. He knew about bad days. He'd had a few himself. Axel always tried to cheer him up or, if he wanted to be alone, he held him close and let him wear through it himself.

Axel didn't seem to want to talk, so Roxas just tilted his head down and kissed the top of Axel's hair. He didn't know why. He just knew Axel did it to him sometimes.

Axel's tense body didn't relax. Roxas held onto him tightly.

They didn't talk - sometimes, they didn't need the words - and silence enveloped Roxas's bedroom as Kingdom Hearts bathed them in its soft, golden glow.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Roxas is usually the angsty one, but given some of the stuff that happens in 358... Axel has a few reasons to be down in the dumps himself sometimes. I wanted to give him cuddles, so I had Roxas do it for me.
> 
> I do not own _Kingdom Hearts_. It belongs to Disney and Square Enix.  
>  Thanks for reading!


End file.
